RESUME

Stephen McAvoy, Esq. brings over 35 years of litigation and advocacy experience towards resolving disputes encumbered by high emotion and conflict. Half of his legal career was spent representing plaintiffs and consumers while the other half of his career was in defense representation. The combined experience from these different roles makes him a fair and impartial neutral that is also attentive to the motivations and processes of both sides.

Persistent and personable, attorneys can count on Stephen McAvoy, Esq. to continue working on the settlement even after the mediation has concluded; a great many of Mr. McAvoy’s cases come to him at the early stages of the litigation and some are even pre-litigation. The guidance provided by Mr. McAvoy helps parties settle earlier with lower expenses and turmoil.

Masterful in his ability to empower the parties to evolve beyond their positions of disagreement, Mr. McAvoy has been praised for his unique ability to connect with strong personalities as well as manage and overcome the intrinsic factors that create barriers to a successful settlement.

• Business & Commercial Contract
  • Business disputes including Dissolution, Breach of Contract, Unfair Competition, Securities Litigation, NASD / FINRA Arbitration
• Construction Contract, Defect and Liens
  • Commercial and Residential Construction defect claims from single units to whole developments, Mechanic’s Lien, Breach of Contract, Delay Claims and Public Works
• Employment Law
  • Wage and Hour matters, Sexual Harassment and Discrimination, Wrongful Termination, Public Policy Violations and ADA issues
• Personal Injury  
  • Soft tissue to catastrophic injury and Wrongful Death matters  involving industrial accidents, Products Liability, Motor Vehicle claims, Premises Liability, Public Entity claims, Dog Bite, mold related claims and Sexual Abuse. High emotional content issues.
• Professional Malpractice
  • Legal, Realty, Architecture, Elder Abuse and Neglect, Veterinary, Business and other professional liability matters
• Real Estate
  • Residential Non-Disclosure cases and those involving commercial leases and commissions, Boundaries, Easements and CC&R related claims.
• Probate, Trust and Estates and Family Law
  • Will and Trust disputes as well as divorce mediation and dissolution of domestic partnerships

• ADR Neutral
  • 15 years as Mediator, Arbitrator, and Referee – resolving disputes involving Construction Defect, Construction Contract, Liens, Personal Injury, Business, Commercial Contract, Employment, and Legal Malpractice. Also served as an arbitrator for NASD as well as mediator and discovery referee for construction cases before the San Diego Superior Court.
• Trial Attorney
  • Over 35 years of experience as Trial Attorney – representing  individual consumers, businesses, and insurance defense. Specialized in: Construction Defect and Construction Contract, Catastrophic Personal Injury, Employment, and Business Litigation.

• University of Virginia, BA, with Distinction (1981)
• University of San Diego, JD (1985)

• Pepperdine School of Law – Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Mediating the Litigated Case
• National Conflict Resolution Center, Mediator Credential
• Restorative Justice Mediation Program, Mediation TrainingUniversity of Virginia, BA, with Distinction (1981) University of San Diego, JD (1985)

• San Diego County Bar Association
• State Bar of California
• State Bar of New Jersey (Inactive)